in part.

Such frequent change is also expensive. New expenses must be incurred in various ways by almost every exchange, by the removal of families, and by alterations in the parsonage, place of worship, &c., to suit the taste or convenience of each successive incumbent.

It renders discipline difficult, and in some cases impossible. It exposes a flock to be scattered by being often left for a while without a shepherd. It diminishes the respect of the people for the pastoral office and for the character of those who fill it, and thus diminishes their power to do good. It encourages restless and unreasonable men to indulge in sinful prejudices and pride.

It is no less injurious to the pastor himself. If he remove frequently, be he never so able a workman, it throws his character under suspicion of some latent defect, which hinders his being a successful bishop. Or it is oppressive to him in the way of expense. A minister, by every removal of considerable distance, must suffer a loss of from $100 to $300 by the sacrifice on immoveable property, by the expenses of travel and transportation, and by the re-settlement in a new situation. Under the salaries which pastors receive, there is not one out of ten that can endure this loss without real wrong and injury.

It impairs the strong confidence and affection which a pastor ought to cherish, and otherwise would cherish towards his flock. If the parties in the marriage contract were to come together, expecting to remain united only so long as would perfectly suit their fancy, many a little jar of opinion or feeling, which is now the occasion of showing how much they love each other, and is entirely overlooked and seasonably hushed, would be suffered to grow into a cause of separation.

We are aware that many imagine great advantages in changing once in a few years.

We are aware also that the request for dissolving the pastoral relation often comes from the pastor himself, without sufficient cause. A young minister, for instance, settles over a parish on a short probation. All things in prospect appear fair and promise well. After a year or two, difficulties spring up. Some hearts, once warm, have become cold. Now, this is his teething time, which, if he live through it, will give him influence. But it is a trial. Destitute of experience, and with a limited store of theological furniture, he is compelled, amid his difficulties, and in all states of health, incessantly to write, and preach, and toil. He sees perhaps little present fruit of his labors: and though he tries to rest his confidence on the unfailing promises of God, he is often ready to exclaim, "O that I had the wings of a dove, that I might fly away to yonder mountain and be at rest!" He longs to change, both in the hope that he shall be more useful, and that he may gain time for extending his studies into other fields of thought. And to this feeling he often yields, without sufficiently clear indications of duty. And thus, we fear, that man often puts asunder what God has joined together.

Hiring temporary supplies.

Again, most of the remarks here made against the frequent dissolution of the pastoral relation, apply with pertinency to two other customs prevalent among us, viz., that of hiring stated supplies by the year; and that of settling ministers for a limited time, or on condition that the relation may at any time be dissolved by either party's giving the other a few months' notice. As to the latter custom, it would be difficult to say why the marriage relation might not as accordantly with the plan of God be entered into for a limited term; or on the condition of a separation, on the one party's giving the other a few months' notice. We would not press this analogy too far, knowing that the two things are unlike in several respects. What we mean is, that the pastoral relation is not less an appointment of God, nor less solemn or responsible, nor less dependant

The church and people here expect me to preach with them one half of the time. They have raised a subscription of nearly one hundred dollars. I think they are doing all they can. Many of them are poor, and yet they subscribe as much as men in good circumstances do, at the East. They have just purchased their lands, and it has taken all their money, and some have had to borrow money at 25 per cent. They have now all their improvements to make, houses to build, fences to make, &c. &c.

MISSOURI.

From a Report.

PRIVATIONS.

I have endeavored to labor during this quarter, as faithfully and constantly as circumstances would per mit, but in the dispensations of a wise Providence, I have been much hindered. My family have been sick all the time since the first week in October. My wife has been twice, apparently, at the point of death. She is now again, however, convalescent. I have had to follow an infant child to the house appointed for all the living, to see its body there entombed till the "Archangel's trump" shall wake all that sleep in the grave. I have been prevented from attending my regular appointments on two Sabbaths of this quarter; and my attention has been almost constantly confined to my familyhaving been able only occasionally to leave home long enough to attend to indispensable duties, and then obliged to hasten back as soon as possible. Although my appointments are often 20 miles from home, yet I have been compelled mostly to ride there in the morning, preach, and then ride home again in the evening of the same day. Once, I had to make such a trip through the coldest rain we have had this fall. Another time, to go 9 miles, preach a sermon to about a dozen shivering hearers, and then ride back in the afternoon, when the

thermometer was about 20 below zero. From labor bestowed under such circumstances, although of the hardest kind, not much good can be expected. My family are now, however, so situated, that I hope to be able to labor with less interruption the next year.

Your Society has truly been a friend in need to us here-and I think we feel grateful for its assistance, and shall not soon forget its benefits. And if, in the providence of God, there should ever be any ability on the part of this people to contribute, I think they will prove the sincerity of their gratitude.

ILLINOIS.

From a Brother in affliction.

I cannot but feel grateful to you and the Board, for the kind attention which you have given to my last communication. I have felt strengthened by your letter, and also by reading your remarks in the Home Missionary. We do feel the need of encouragement, occasionally, while labouring here in these waste places. When I last wrote you, our prospects were very dark. Sickness was commencing, our congregation, in consequence, was reduced from more than one hundred to a dozen. All that had encouraged us, began to talk of leaving the place, if they should live to do it. I could see no other way of being sustained than by the A. H. M. S. The sickness was as universal as last year, but not so mortal. We shared in it, and was called to surrender up our little and only son. He lies beside the wife of my youth, in the cold and lonely grave. This has added to our sorsow, but it calls upon us to give up all to Him who giveth and who taketh away.

We have some encouragement also. When we were all sick, we received greater attention from the people than we could expect. When they were scarcely able to crawl about or to help themselves, they

would call and render very great assistance. We were not confined to the house over about two weeks. I have suggested to our people, that I might leave them in the Spring. One seriously objected, saying, "you have seen the worst, and will hereafter be able to endure the climate. We must have a minister; if you leave, we must have another, and he, most likely, will have to pass through a season of sickness." He gave us a cheese, 30 pounds of flour, half a bushel of peas, and a little dried beef; and said he intended to make some remittances in money, but had none then. Another man gave me an order on a merchant for $5, and said he would make up $25, for the year. Another has loaded down my wagon with cabbages, and says he means to let me have some money. He had expected a subscription would have been circulated. Others have done many a little thing that has made us grateful. More kindness has been shown us the past quarter than since we have been here.

FOLLY AND ITS FRUITS.

The folly and sin of being discontented with their ministers, are but too often illustrated in the congregations of the West. The ambition to have the most popular and

powerful man in the land, is as wicked as the expectation is vain. And yet there are a hundred churches at the West that would be satisfied with nothing less.

Mr.

advised me to leave P, adding, that Mr. L-thought that if the world's people could choose their own minister, they would support him. Mr. said he would not take the responsibility upon himself of advising me to leave there, for in the case I left, I might run away from duty. And beside, he thought the effect would be that they would have no minister at all. Some of the young men who suggested the thing to Mr. L—, took their guns and went into the woods, while Mr. , a new man, preached. I remember how O- has suffered by the inexperience of church members.

They thought if their minister would leave, and they could get a certain other minister, the world would come in, and they would easily give him support. All this was attempted. That other came, but failed. Then they wrote to you to send them "a man of the right stamp." They asked not for your money, they could easily support him if he was only "the man." The consequence is, they have been a flock without a shepherd. The Catholics occupy their court-house, and they have no public worship on the Sabbath, no Sabbath school, no Bible class. Other places about us have thought that if they had a minister that would call together as large congregations as they have seen at the East, they would easily support him, and build then a meeting-house. And that if their minister does not accomplish all this, he is not worth supporting. Hence H- lies a waste. Their meeting-house, half completed, is sold to pay cost. Universalism triumphs, and no minister breaks unto them the bread of life. And hence, too, other places have been forsaken of the ministry, and become a proverb and a by-word.

Now, Mr. L has asked the wicked, why they do not give support to the minister? They say, to excuse themselves, "He is not my minister: I have had nothing to do in getting him. Get Mr. Barnes of help you to support him.' Philadelphia, or his like, and I will Instead of treating this as I would think a knowledge of human nature would lead him to, he has suggested whether I had not not better stand aside, and let some other minister make the trial.

From Rev. E. G. Howe, Hickory

Creek and Gooding's Grove, Ill.

There has been this season even more sickness and death than the last year, which was deemed a very sickly one. One in twenty of the inhabitants on Hickory Creek, have died, while at least one half of the remainder have been more or less visited with the disease.